Lithuanian President’s Office says draft budget for 2015 could be improved

The President’s Office also believes that more dividends could be collected from state enterprises and that disadvantaged people should not be forgotten while considering to lift tax exemption on heating.

“There are many positive things, but there is also room for improvement,” chief advisor to the president on economy and social policy Giedrė Kaminskaitė-Salters told the Žinių Radijas radio.

“LTL 180 million (EUR 52 million) was allocated to compensate for pensions, the minimum monthly salary has been increased to LTL 1,035 (EUR 300) as of 1 October, salaries of cultural and educational employees should be increased, and the investment in defensibility is especially important in today’s context. We also see the attempts to ensure fiscal discipline, i.e., stability, economic growth and creation of new jobs,” listed Kaminskaitė-Salters.

However, the chief advisor also noted that there was room for improvement.

“The deficiencies of the draft budget include insufficient collection of taxes and still insubstantial fight against the black market, a lot more could be achieved in this area and taxes collection could be improved,” said the advisor.

Kaminskaitė-Salters added that the state collects and projects too little in dividends from public enterprises. “The dividend is always invested, but revenues must start flowing to the state budget,” said Kaminskaitė-Salters.